Starter for internal-combustion engines.



Patented Oct. 16, 1917.

-- I a SHEETSSHEET I- C3 a) A \j/ I J. K.- STEWART, DECD.

J. B. STEWART. EXECUTRI X. STARTER FOR ENTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 30. I915. RENEWED FEB. 26. I917. 4&9 Patented (m. 16,1917.

5- 3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

m. 9 y z 82,

J. K. STEWART, DECD. 1. 8. STEWART. EXECUIRIX.

STARTER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED 0Ec.a0. 1915. RENEWED FEB. 25. 1911.

Patented. Oct. 16, 1917.

3 SHEETS'SHEET 3.

JOHN K. STEWART, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.; JULIA B. STEWART, EXECUTBIX 0F SAID JOHN K. STEWART, DECEASED.

STARTER FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented @ct. re, rear.

Application filed December 30, 1915, Serial No. 69,303. Renewed February 26, 1917. Serial No. 151,146

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN K. STEWART, a citizen of the United States, residin at New York city, in the county of New ork and State of'New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Starters for Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification.

The purpose of this invention is to provide an improved device for starting the internal combustion engine of an automobile by the re-action of a spring which is wound up by the running of the engine. It consists in the elements and features of construction shown and described, as indicated in the claims.

In the drawings,-

Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of the forward end of a motor vehicle and the engine thereon equipped with a device embodying this invention.

Fig. 2 is an axial section as at the line 33 on Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal axial section.

Fig. 4: is a transaxial. section at the line 4-4 on Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a section at the line 5-5 on Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a section at the line 66 on Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a section at the lme 7-7 on Fig. 2.

Fig. 8 is a section at the line 8-8 on Fig. 1.

Fig. 9 is a section at the line, 9-9, on Fig. 3.

Fig. 10 is a section at the line, 10 10, on Fig. 2.

Fig. 11 is a sectlon at the line, 11-11, on Fig. 2.

The starting mechanism which constitutes this invention is shown in the drawings applied to a familiar type of motor vehicle by substitution of the mounting parts of the starter in the position and place of certain familiar parts of such motor vehicle and its engine, which parts of the motor Vehicle removed will be referred to but not shown in the "drawings.

In the drawings, A, represents a portion of the chassis or frame structure of the vehicle, A, being the forward transverse bar which i situated above the forward spring partly shown at B. The forward end of with the engine the present starting device,

there is mounted on the forward transverse bar, A the starter casing, 1, having at the rear end a flange, 1*, fitted to the seat on the bar, A from which the starting shaft bearing pillow has been removed together with its crank. The flange, 1*, has a capped seat, 1", for the terminal, e, of the engine frame or crank case, in place of the slmilar seat with which the vided.

In the casing, 1, there are journaled the two principal members of the starting shaft, hereinafter, with their means of journaling, more particularly described. The rear or inner 'member, 2, of said starting shaft terminates at its rear end a little forward of the rear end of the casing member, 1*, exelusive of its flange, 1*, that end of said casing member being formed to be closed, except as to the shaft aperture, by the forward end of the terminal, 6, of the engine frame or crank case which is lodged in the capped seat, 1, above mentioned formed on the flange, 1 Said rear end of the shaft member, 2, has a square socket, 2, from the tapered bottom of which a small circular bore, 2", leads axially in the shaft member and receives a cone-pointed center pintle, 2. This shaft member'is coupled to the engine crank shaft by the coupling shaft member, 3,

Whioh has its forward end squared at 3 to enter the square socket, 2 and is also provided with a central conical socket, 3", for the pintle, 2. Said coupling shaft member, 3, extends through but does not require or obtain any bearing support in, the rear terminal, 6, ofthe engine frame or crank case where the latter is seated in the cap seat, 1, as described, the aperture in said terminal, 6, which was vacated by the removed starting shaft serving to admit said coupling shaft which passes through it. The rear end of this coupling shaft, 3, issquared as shown at 3 for eng g ng loose y sliding in the square aperture, 4", which is formed in the hub of a cup-shaped terminal, 4:, adapted to pass onto the end of the engine crankshaft, D, outside the hub of the fan pulley, D and be pinned fast thereto by the clutch pin, 1, which customarily also secures the fan pulley of the engine crank shaft, said clutch pin beingfirst withdrawn to permit the cup-shaped terminal, 4, to be passed onto the crank shaft, and then replaced, passing through the pin holes, 4F, formed in the annular member of said terminal, 4:, thus securing said terminal and thereby the coupling shaft, 3, permanently to theengine crank shaft. The coupling member, 3, has an axial bore in ,its rear end in which is lodged a coiled spring, 5, which reacts between the bottom of the bore and the end of the engine crank shaft, for thrusting the coupling shaft member, 3, forward at its sliding connection with terminal, 4, and thereby thrusting the starting shaft member, 2, forward for purposes hereinafter explained. For transmitting the thrust of the spring, 5, to the coupling shaft member, 3,

and thereby to the starting shaft member, 2,

a shouldered center pin, 5, is provided telescoping in the bore of the shaft, 3, and having its reduced spindle, 5, extending within the coiled spring, 5, and having its rear end cone-pointed for seating in a conical socket which is formed in the forward end of the engine crank shaft, whereby the coupling shaft is centered upon the engine crank shaft. Both the connections ofthe coupling shaft, 3, that is, with thehub of the terminal, 4, at its rear end and with the starting shaft member, 2, at its forward end, are loose, so

that a limited amount of misalinement of the shaft member, 2, with the engine crank shaft may occur without interfering with the transmission of rotation from the crank shaft to the starting shaft without wrenching or distortion of the bearings or connections or causing undue friction, in the bearings, while nevertheless the center point seatings of the coupling shaft upon the two shaft members between which it extends tends to preserve the alinement somewhat, and in any event causes the coupling shaft to revolve about its own axis as defined by the terminal points *of its said seatings.

The casin 1, comprises two members, 1 and 1, whic aretelescoped the latter upon the former, making a drive fitat 1 and being further secured together 'at their interlap by screws, 1. In-the rear casing member, 1", there are housed the several members of a orie-way-driving clutch device herein-' after more particularly described which connects the rear shaft member, 2, hereinafter called the engine-connected shaft member with the forward member hereinafter called prime-moving or power-spring actuated shaft member, 7, which is tubular having the forward portion of the engine-connected shaft member, 2, extending axially through it and being in turn journaled upon the pro peller or planet-pinion-carrying member of a planetary gear train provided for winding up the motor spring, said propeller being in turn journaled 0n the casing as hereinafter more particularly described. The engineconnected shaft, 2, is reduced in diameter just forward of the end having the square socket for receiving the coupling shaft member, 3, its reduced diameter being enough less than the inner diameter of the tubular prime-moving shaft, 7, to accommodate between the two, ball bearings, 8, for which an annular race is provided in the surface of the shaft member, 2, the seating of the balls in the tubular shaft member, 7, being without a race so that longitudinal movement of the two shaft members with respect to each other may occur, the balls being carried by their race cut in the inner shaft member, 2, while rolling along the inner surface of the shaft member, 7,'in such longitudinal relative displacement of the two shaft members. At a point farther forward along said engine-connected member, 2, than said ball race, said shaft member is further reduced in diameter forming a concavely curved shoulder at 2 constituting one side of the ball race for balls, 9, which also, like the balls 8, seat without a race on the inner surface of the shaft, 7 a further retaining member for the balls, 9, being afforded by the rear end of a sleeve, 10, hereinafter described which is provided for an additional function to be explained. The shaft member, 2, is thus afiorded two considerably separatedvball bearings in the tubular shaft member, 7, whereby. the two shaft members are kept well alined or coaxial with each other. Upon the unreduced rear end portion of the shaft'member, 2, there is mounted and made rigid with said shaft member, 2, a fitting, 11, which forms at the junction of said shaft member with the coupling member an annular chamber, 11; into which the rear end of the prime-moving shaft member, 7, extends for affording the ball bearing formed by the balls, 8, above mentioned for the said shaft member, 2, and for obtaining the clutch connection with said shaft member for one-way driving which will now be described. 7

' Thisclutch connection is afforded by a pluralityof clutch dogs, 12, which are shown as nine in number surrounding the primenioving shaft member, 7 being mounted in radial pockets, 11, of the fitting, 11, each having an axial chamber, 12, which houses 'a coiled spring, 12*, operating to thrust the dog inward for engagement of their slightly slope of the ratchet teeth, 7

sloping heads, out into the periphery of the prime-moving shaft member, 7. The dogs have eacha longitudinal furrow, 12, at one side, and the fitting, 11, has located laterally with respect to each dog a ball pocket, 11 in which is a ball, 12 engaging the furrow, 12, of the dog, and operating" as a key to prevent the dog from turning 1n its seat and thus insuring that the sloping head of the dog is always presented in the right direction to the A pressed metal cap, 11 forced on the fitting, 11, serves to retain the springs, 12, and the balls, 12. The springs, 12, are designed to be as light as possible consistent with their duty of lifting the dogs into operative engagement when the shaft member, 2, is at rest, that is, certain of the dogs being always at the lower side of the shaft, will be out of engagement unless thus lifted, and the springs may even be lighter than necessary for this duty, inasmuch as a certain number of the dogs would come into engagement by gravity and the only function of the spring would be to insure their starting quickly into engagement immediately upon the shaft coming to rest. The purpose of making the springs thus light is to adapt the dogs to be thrown out of engagement by a centrifugal force as soon as the engine shaft starts to rotate under its own power and thereby rotates the shaft member, 2, more rapidly than the starting movement given to it by the shaft member, 7, or at least as rapidly, so that the driving engagement of the dogs is released and they are free to move outward under such centrifugal action. This insures that the operation of the clutch is silent,-that is, without any clickingof the dogs over the ratchet teeth when the engine is running and the primemoving shaft, 7, is at rest.

The main power spring, 15, is inclosed within the casingmember, 1, to which the outer end of the spring is connected and secured by means of a pair of links,"15 and 15". The link, 15*, is lodged and adapted to fit snugly in a recess, 1 formed in the peripheral wall of the casing, and is further secured to the casing by screws set in from the outside. The link, 15, is pivotally connected to the link, 15, and to the outer end of the spring, 15. The recess, 1 is deep enough to accommodate the links lying flat upon each other, but for connecting the springs to the link, 15, after the spring is placed within the casing, the links being previously in position and the links, 15, secured to the casing by the screws, the free end of the link, 15", may be swung out of the re cess for engagement with the end of the spring, said end of the spring and connected end of the link being mated as two hinge members, and the hinge pintle, 15 may then 12 with'the ratchet teeth, 7,

Windlass, 21, keyed fast on said shaft memher, 7, and having the inner end of the spring, 15, made fast to it in any convenient manner not specifically shown.

It will be noticed that the clutch engage ment between the shafts, 2 and 7, which is described above is designed for transmitting the drive of the wound-up power spring, 15, to the shaft, 2, for starting the engine. For the purpose of winding up the power'spring by the running of the engine, a speed reducing gear train is employed which is of the planetary type. This train is substantially the same as shown and described in my pending application, Serial No. 60,728, filed November 10, 1915, and except as to certain detail differences from the structure therein shown is not claimed v in this application, but will be described by way of reducing the differentiating features.

Into a forwardly open rabbet formed at 1 in the casing member, 1", there is forced so as to be permanently secured and held, a

hardened steel ring, 14, which formsthe outer member of a race for a ball bearing indicated byt he balls, '16, at which the proeller or planet-pinion-carrying :member, 25, of the planetary gear train obtains journal bearings on said casing member, 1 by means of the hub or flange, 25, of said propeller, the balls being seated in the angle or curve between the circumference of the hub and the face of the disk which constitutes said propeller. The prime-moving shaft member, 7, obtains ball bearing by balls, 28, in a seat, 25, formed on the inner circumference of said propeller, 25, one side member of the ball race for said balls, 28, being formed by the final driven gear, 27, of the planetary gear train which iskeyed fast as shown at 27' to said prime-moving shaft member, 7. Journaled on said shaft member, 7, with interposed ball bearings, 33, 38, there is positioned the master gear, 29, of the planetary gear train. has the same diameter as the final driven gear, 27, but has one tooth less than said gear, 27. On the propeller, 25, mounted for rotation about their axes positioned in the circumference of a circle about the axis of the shaft, 7, there are three gear pinions,

more than the lap of the pinions upon it to afford area for locking engagement with said master gear of a locking dog hereinafter de This master gear mounting are fully described. and claimed in my co-pending application, Serial No. 60,728 filed November 10, 1915, and these features ,are not claimed in this application, but are included in the following description.

The locking dog, 30, is pivoted to the eccentric wrist, 31 of the rock shaft, 31,

which is journaled in the appended member,-1 of the casing and provided with connection for startingthe movement of the shaft to cause the eccentric wrist to withdraw the dog, 30, from its locking position. The toothed segment, 30, of the dog is eccentric to the axis of the wrist which forms its pivot, which causes the dog to be selflocking in its engagement with a locking member, 29, of the master gear when the axis of the wrist is alined, or nearly so, between the axis of the rock, shaft and the axis of the master gear, because the rotation of the master gear in the direction against which it is the function of the dog to lock it feeds the segment to the'limit of its depth of engagement with the gear member, 29*, of the master gear, and both parts are stopped at that limit. proportioned so that at that position of the wrist axis the segment is meshed to its deepest limit at about the middle point of its are, so that half of its arc operatesfor locking, because it would have to mesh more deeply than possible .in order that the dog might feed out of engagement by the rotation ofthe locking member, 29. A spring, 30, connected at one end to the appended member, 1 of the casing and at the other end to the dog, 30,0perates to retract the dog about the eccentric wrist, 31, in the reverse of its locking direction. The means provided for operating the rock shaft, 31, are constructed for rocking it to carrythe wrist axis away from the plane of the axes i l of the rock shaft and master gear in the direction the opposite of the locking direction of the dog, thus lifting the dog out of locking engagement with the 'master gear. These means comprise a sheave, 31, fast on .the rock shaft, 31, having attached to it a cable, 31, which at the position of the sheave at' which it is held by spring, 31*, attached to the sheave and to the casing with the stop-arm, 31 of the sheave stopped against one side of the casing, is wrapped nearly around the sheave and runs ofi from the sheave through a pipe, 31, which is fixedly The parts arenasaees provided with a suitable handle, 31, for pulling it to rock the sheave against the resistance of the spring, 31 E- When the handle is pulled to rock the shaft, 31, in direction for disengaging the dog, the stop-arm, 31, strikes against the opposite side of the casing from that against which it has been held by the spring, limiting the movement of the rock shaft, to something over 180, that'is, so, as to carry the axis of the wrist, 31*, from the position substantially in line between the axes of the rock shaft and master gear, which is the locking position, to, and it may be somewhat past, the position diametrically opposite thereto. The dog being thus lifted out of locking engagement is first immediately driven by the starting action of the master gear over to the dotted line position, 30, from which, however, it is' immediately retracted by the spring, 30,

to dotted line position, 30 where it is so far arm, 31, is designed to prevent the shaft from being rocked so far past that last mentioned position by the pull of the cable. With this construction, when the operator desires to start the engine, he will pull the cable releasing the dog and holding it out of engagement by holding onto the cable handle until the engine obtains a fair start and suflicient momentum to insure the winding up of the spring without stopping the engine or materially retarding it. When the operator observes that the engine is well under way, he will release the handle and the spring, 31", will retract the cable, rocking the sheave with the rock shaft, 31, and throwing the dog into position for engaging the master gear which will immediately operate by meshing with the segment end of the dog to swing it into secure locking position bringing the master gear to rest and so causing the rotation of the engine shaft to wind up. the spring to the limit determined by devices described for preventing over-winding.

It will be understood that when the power spring, 15, is uncoiling in the operation TOt which occurs when the master gear locking member, 29*, is released after the spring has been wound up, and while the starting impulse is being given to theengine shaft, the entire gear train including the master gear, 29, ,wlth its locking member, and the planet-pinion-carrying member or propeller,

.25, rotates as a unit, and at such speed as givin the engine the spring is capable of shaft for starting the englne. he number of turns which the engine shaft will receive while the spring is uncoiling, is calculated nasanes ,resisted by the spring which is either still partly coiled, or is beginning to be coiled the rotation, until its tension makes its resistance more than the drag or friction of the train, after which this gear will stand still while the propeller revolves causing the planet p'inions engaging the unequally toothed gears, 27 and 29, to rotate the gear, 29, and its locking member, 29", in the same direction as the 611F118 shaft, but a distance of only one tooth or each complete revolution of the engine shaft, or slightly more than that as long as the spring is being coiled up to the point of tension making its resistance equal to the dra of a train. In this action the gear, 27,, ecomes, for the time being, the master gear of the planetary train, andthe gear, 29, becomes the final slowly driven gear of the train, which will be engaged by the locking dog without shock when the dog is swung down as above described for such engagement.

In order to render the action of the rock shaft and its connected and operating parts so easy as not to absorb any appreciable portion of the energy of the spring, 15, at the commencement 0 the unwinding or shaftstarting action of the spring, 15, the rock shaft, 30, is provided with ball bearings, 58, 58, in the appended member, 1 of the casing near the. opposite ends of said rock shaft; and for the same purpose thedog, 30, is mounted upon the eccentric, 31, by means of ball bearings, 59. v

The duplex ball bearings, 33, 33,. interposed between the shaft member, 7, and the master gear, 29, have their respective races laterally formed at one side by the side of the gear, 29, and at the opposite side by a hardened steel ring, 34, interposed between the end of the drum, 21, to which the motor spring, 15, is attached and the proximate side of said gear, 29, the balls of the two sets being spaced apart by a suitable spacing washer, 35. At the opposite end of the drum there is a hardened steel washer, 36, forming one side of a ball race or ball bearings, '37-, which are interposed between the shaft member, 7, and the casing, the outer member of the ball race being a hardened steel ring, 38, which is forced into the casing. The rear edge of the hub, 25*, of the propeller, 25, of the planetary gear train is formed as an annular ratchet-tooth clutch member, 25 which projects rearwardly and is adapted to engage with a corresponding annular ratchet-tooth clutch member, 11",

which is formed-at the forward end of the fitting, 11. The forward end of the primemoving shaft member, 7, is interiorly threaded and engages an exteriorly threaded sleeve or nut, 17, which encompasses the engineconnected shaft member, 2, where the latter emerges through the forward side of the cas ng, said nut, 17, being engaged with the casing for sliding longitudinally of said shaft member and against rotation by means of a plurality of projections, 1 which protrude into the opening of the casing throughv which the shaft member emerges and engages with longitudinal slots, 17 formed in the forward end portion of the nut, 17 cut ting through the thread on the exterior of said nut at said forward end portion. A stiff coiled spring, 18, encompasses the shaft member, 2, fitting within the axial cavity of the tubular member of shaft 7 ,and interposed between the forward end of the sleeve, 10, and the rear end of the nut, 17, reacting between said two parts, 10 and 17, for holding them yieldingly apart from each other. The rear end of the sleeve, 10, as above described, forms a part of the seat of the balls, 9, and is therefore pressed against the balls by the spring, 18. In the outer surface of the sleeve, 10, there is formed a longitudinally extended annular groove, 10", and

in corresponding position in the tubular shaft member, 7 ,there are provided'radial apertures, 7 These apertures are situated within the longitudinal extent of the drum,

- 21, by which the motor spring, 15 is secured to the prime-moving shaft, 7, and said radial apertures are extended out into the drum or register with apertures in the drum which are counterbored as shown at 7 and closed byscrew plugs, 7 for retaining spring pressed plungers, 19, preferably comprising as their inner terminals each a ball, 19*, each of said plungers being shouldered or provided with a flange, 19", for stopping uponthe bottom of the counterbore and for receiving the pressure of the spring, 20, which occupies the counterbore reacting against the screw plug, 7 for thrusting the plungers inward to cause the ball terminal, 19*, to be 7 seated in the seats or notches, 10 and adapted to be crowded out by the encounter with the balls by the sloping end of the notches at the end toward the nut, '17, when the sleeve, 10, is forced longitudinally rearward within the shaft member, 7. This action occurs when .in the winding up of the spring by the rotation of shaft member, 7, through the planetary gear train actuated by the clutch connection of the propeller, 25, with the engins-connected shaft, 2, through the fitting,

11, the nut, 17, held against rotation is fed rearward by threaded engagementwith shaft member, 7, and first causes the spring,

18, to push the sleeve, 19, rearward while the balls, 19", are accommodated in the elongated notches, in the sleeve, 10, until the forward sloping ends of the notches reach the balls, whereupon the resistance which the balls pressed inward by the springs, 20, ofier to thefarther rearward movement of the sleeve while the balls are being crowded outward pushing the plungers against the springs, 20, as said sloping ends are forced against the balls, causes the spring, 18 to become compressed, accumulating energy for subsequent reaction which occurs when the balls have been forced entirely out of said notches and rideupon the outer surface of the sleeve, the spring then reacting and-thrusting the sleeve, 10 rear ward, and by means of vthe intervening balls,

- 9, pushing the engine-connected shaft, 2,

rearward causing it to carry the clutch member, 11", of. the fitting, 11, which is rigid with said'engine-connected shaft, out of engagement with clutch member, 25 on the planetary gear train propeller, 25. The length of the slots or notches, 10 in the sleeve, 10, in excess of the portion of the length occupied by the balls, 19*, is made to correspond with a predetermined number of threads of the nut, 17, so as to permit a certain number of rotations of the shaft, 7, and

' thereby the uncoiling by a certain number of turns of the power spring, 15, before any .compressionof the spring, 18, occurs; and

the slope of the forward ends of these notches is calculated and made such with removing shaft, 7, upon the power spring to be terminated after a predetermined number of winding turns for which this spring is adapted without over-winding, and permit a certain number of revolutions of the shaft member, 2, before reengagement of the clutch members.

' When the operator releases the dog to permit the planetary train to rotate bodily with the prime-moving shaft, 7, in-the unwinding cf the motor spring for starting the engine the rotation of the shaft, 7 in the opposite direction from that which it was, rotated in wmding up the spring causes the nut, 17, to be retracted with the effect of first completing the relaxation of the spring, 18 from the compression to which it was subjected in the winding up process,-

the thrust movement of the shaft member, 2, permitted by the proportions of the casmasses ing being purposely insufficient for such complete relaxation, and next permitting the movement bringing the clutch member, 11", 7 into rengagement with the clutch member,

25, so that as soon as the operator releases the handle of the cable, 31 and permits the locking dog to rengage the master gear,

the continued operation of the engine will wind up the power spring as first above described.

To insure the return of the sleeve, 10, forward and to keep the nut, 17 sleeve, 10, and intervening spring at all times -in proper longitudinal relation to each other, especially when the nut, 17 is screwed forward by the rotation of shaft member, 7, in the running of the engine under its own power, there is provided an interior sleeve, 45, sliding on the shaft member, 2, and within the nut, 17, spring, 18, and sleeve 10, and rigidly joined at its rear end portion within said sleeve, to the latter, as by makin a driving fit therewith, and having at its orward end a'fiange, 15", which engages outside the forward end of the nut, 17.

The casing is designed to be a container for grease to keep the working parts constantly lubricated; and it is adapted for this purpose by a cap member, 1", which is applied by screws, m, to the forward end of the casing member, 1, encompassing the aperture through which the shaft member, 2, emerges, and having an interior shoulder, 1, for stopping a washer, 40, which serves to retain a felt packing gasket, 41, which encompasses the end of the shaft member, 2, closely for stopping an escape of grease around that shaft. The end of said shaft, 2, protruding beyond the washer, 40,, is

squared for receiving a starting crank to be used for initially starting the engine, or in any emergency requiring resort to hand starting; and the cap, 1, has 'a tubular extension, 1 guarding the squared end of the shaft and adapted to admit the starting crank plug for engaging said squared end; At the rear end of the casing a felt packing ring, 42, encompasses the-forward end of the coupling shaft member, 3, at its entrance into the casing andstops escape of grease at that end.

I claim lQIn an engine starter a casing adapted to be rigidly mounted on a vehicle frame; a starting shaft supported in said casing I comprising a hollow prime-moving member and an engine connected member having oneway-drlving clutch connections with each other; a main power spring operatively' connected with the prime-moving shaft member; a planetary gear trainfor winding up the spring having its propelling member and its engine an engine starter comprising a casing adapted to be rigidly mounted on i the vehicle frame; a starting shaft supported in said casing comprising a hollow primemoving shaft member and an engine connected member having one-way-driving clutch connections with each other; a main power spring operatively connected with the prime-moving shaft member; a gear train whose final gear is also operatively connected with the prime-moving shaft member and whose initial operating member has disengageable clutch connection with the engine-connected shaft; said engine-connected shaft being extended within and slidably journaled in the prime-moving shaft member and means by which the rotation of the prime-moving shaft member in opposite directions for winding and in unwinding ofthe spring slides the engine-connected shaft member for engagement and disengagement of the last mentioned clutch connection, and a floating coupling shaft member loosely engaged for rotation at one end with the engine shaft and at the other end with the engine-connected shaft member of the starter and a spring operating on said coupling shaft member for thrusting it and the engine-connected shaft in the direction for engagement of said clutch connecing, an engine-connected shaft member havtion.

3. In combination with a motor vehicle and its engine an engine starter comprising ,a casing rigidly mounted on the vehicle connected shaft of the starter; a spring opcrating on said floating coupling shaft for thrusting it and the engine-connected shaft in the direction for engaging the last mentioned clutch connection and means operated by the rotation in opposite directions of the prime-moving shaft member for engaging and disengaging said clutch connection.

4:. In combination with a motor vehicle and its engine an engine starter comprising a casing "mounted rigidly on the vehicle frame, a power spring in said casing connected at one end thereto; a starting shaft supported in said casing, comprising a w gear train connections comprising clutch members which are disengageable by longitudinal movement of the engineconnected shaft member; said shaft member being extended within and journaled in the'primemoving shaft member for such longitudinal movement; a floating coupling shaft member havingloose driving connection at its opposite ends with theengine shaft and the engine-connected shaft respectively, one of said loose driving connections being such as to permit longitudinal movement of said floating coupling shaft; a spring reacting between the parts at the last mentioned connection to thrust the engine-connected shaft member forward for. engagement of said clutch members, and means operated by the rotation of the prime-moving shaft member in the winding up action for thrusting said engine-connected shaft member in the opposite direction for disengaging said clutch members.

5. In an engine starter in combination with a casing a main power spring; a primemoving shaft member operatively connected with said power spring for winding the latter and'for being rotated by it in its unwinding one-way-driving clutch connection with the prime-moving shaft member; a train for winding up the spring from the engine-connected shaft member; a disengageable clutch connection between the engine-connected shaft member and the propelling member of said train; a nut held slidably and nonrotatablyby the casing and screwed to the prime-moving shaft member at the forward end thereof; a sleeve within said primemoving shaft member positioned for pushing rearwardly on the engine-connected shaft member; a spring reacting between the nut and the sleeve slidably mounted within the prime-moving shaft member and thereby. adapted to push the engine-connected shaft member in the direction for disengaging the clutch; means for overcomably resisting the push of the nut on the1 25 sleeve to cause the intervening spring to be put under tension adequately to overcome said resistance; whereby the reaction of the spring completes the thrust for disengagement of the clutch member.

6. In an engine starter in combination with a casing, a mam power spring; a

prime-moving shaft member operatively connected with the main power spring for winding it and being rotated by its unwinding; an engine-connected shaft member having one-way-driving clutch connection with the prime-moving shaft member; ,a train for winding the spring from the engine-connected shaft member; clutch members connecting said train with the engineconnected shaft member which are disengageable by longitudinal movement of said shaft member; a nut held slidably and nonrotatably by the casing; and screwed to the prime-moving shaft member at the forward 1 end thereof; a sleeve within said shaft member positioned'for pushing rearwardly on the engine-connected shaft member for disengaging the clutch; a spring interposed between the nut and. the sleeve; means operating between the prime-moving shaft member and the sleeve for yieldingly resisting the push of the nut on the sleeve through the medium of the spring, whereby the spring is put under. tension in overcoming said resistance and is adapted to react to complete the thrust upon the engine-connected shaft for disengaging the clutch; and a member extended within said spring connecting the sleeve and the nut with freedom of approach when the spring is compressed; whereby the nut can retract the sleeve forward when the nut is screwed forward by the rotation of the prime-moving shaft inv the unwinding of the power spring.

7 In an engine starter in combination with a casing, a main power spring; a primemoving shaft member operatively connected with the power spring for winding it and being rotated by its" unwinding; an engineconnected shaft member extended within the prime-moving shaft member and having one-way-driving clutch vconnection therewi a train forwinding the power spring from the engine-connected shaft member; disengageable clutch nconnections between said shaft member and. the propelling 111cmber of said trainjyajnut held slidably and j nonrotatably by the casing and screwed:

within the prime-moving shaft member at the forward. end thereof; a. sleeve within said shaft member positioned for'pushing rearwardly onxthe engine-connected shaft the surface of the sleeve at the forward end of the notch; spring pressed v plungers mounted in the prime-meving shaft member engaglngsaid notches w1th a range of longitudinal movement therein, whereby the longitudinal movement of the sleeve with respect to the shaft member is resisted by the spring pressed plungers encounteringthe slope of the notches; the plungers having a range of movement sufiicient for clearing the notches, whereby the reaction of the interposed spring completes the thrust upon the engine-connected shaft for disengaging its clutch connection with said train.

8 In an engine starter in combination with a casing, a prime-moving shaft member supported in the casing; an engine-connected shaft member; a power spring operatively connected with'the prime-moving shaft member; one-way-driving connections through the prime-moving shaft member to the engine-connected shaft member; a speedacting on the dog in the direction to withdraw it from engagement of its gear segment with the locking gear at the side at which such engagements first occur with the tooth of said segment nearest the wrist axis; means for rocking said dog-carrying shaft in the direction to withdraw the wrist axis from the locking gear axis; a spring tending to rock the shaft in the opposite direction, and means for limiting the rocking of the shaft in each direction.

9. In an engine starter, in combination with a casing, a prime-moving shaft member supported in the casing; an engine-connected shaft member; a power spring operatively connected with the prime-moving shaft member; a one-way-driving connection from the prime-moving shaft member to the engine-connected shaft member; a

' a wheel of said'train for locking it against unwinding of the": .,-power spring; ashaft havmg'an eccentric crank lwrist which .con-

stitutesfthe fulcrum. for thevdog; means for member; a spring interposed between the rotating said shaft to carry the crank wrist toward and from-the'lo'cking wheel; the eccentricity of said crank wrist .being suflicient to cause it in the rotation of the shaft to carry the dog entirely'clear of the lockv ing wheel throughout 'all theswinging movements of the dog on the wrist a spring operating on the dog to swing it"about the wrist the. opposite direction fromthat in which it moves for lockrn'g engagement; a

sheave on the rock shaft; a cable passing about the sheave for rotating the rock shaft in the direction for withdrawing the dog from engaging position; 'a spring which yieldingly resists such rocking and tends to return the dog to locking position, and stops limiting the rocking movement of the rock shaft.

10. In an engine starter in combination with a casing, a prime-moving shaft member supported in the casing; an engine-connected shaft' member; a power spring op-' eratively'connected with the prime-moving shaft member; a one-way-driving connection from the prime-moving shaft member to the engine connected shaft member; a speed-reducing gear train from the engineconnected shaft member to the prime-moving shaft member; a dog adapted to engage a wheel of said train for locking it against unwinding of the power spring; a shaft having an eccentric crank wrist which constitutes the fulcrum for the dog; means for rotating said shaft to carry the crank wrist toward and from the locking wheel; the eccentricity of the crank wrist being suflicient to cause it in the rotation of the shaft'to carry the dog entirely clear of thelocking wheel throughout all swinging movements of the dog on the wrist; a spring operating on the dog to swing it about the wrist n the opposite direction from that in which it moves for locking engagement; a sheave on the rock shaft; a .cable passing about the sheave for rotating the rock shaft in the direction for withdrawing the dog from its engaging position; a tube fixed on the engine support open at one end in proximity to the sheave for positioning and guiding the cable, the cable being extended through said tube and a handle on the cable at'the remote end of the tube for pulling the cable I to rotate the sheave.

11. An engine starter comprising a casing, a prime-moving shaft in the casing; a main power spring connected to the casing and to the prime-moving shaft; an engine-connected shaft; a gear train for winding the spring by rotating the prime-moving shaft from the engine-connected shaft; the propelling or initial driving member of said train being journaled in the casing, the prime-moving shaft 'being journaled in said propelling .train member and the engine-connected if. shaft being journaled in the prime-moving shaft; one-way-driving clutch connections between the engine-connected shaft and the prime-moving shaft and disengageable 'clutch connections between the enginecon-, propelling member of said train.' k f 12. In an engine starter, in combination with'an engine-connected shaft to be started, a starter-actuated shaft and one-way-drivand the vehicle A ing clutch connections between said shafts constructed for actuating the engine-connected shaft, said clutch connections comprising dogs carried by the engine-connected shaft, mounted for movement toward the axis of rotation of both shafts for their driving engagement, whereby centrifugal action resulting from such engagements tends to disengage them, said dogs being cylindrical and having each a longitudinalfurrow at one side, and balls lodged in the mount of the dogs engaging said furrows to prevent them from turning in their seats and ease their centrifugal action.

13. In a starting device in combination with an engine connected shaft to be started, a starter actuated shaft and one-way driving clutch connections between said shafts constructed for actuating the engine-connected shaft, saidconnections comprlsing a fitting fast on the engine-connected shaft into which fitting the'starter-actuated shaft extends; dogs mounted in said fitting for movement toward the axis of rotation of both shafts for their driving engagement, whereby centrifugal action resulting from such engagement tends to disengage them, saiddogs being cylindrical and having each a longitudinal furrow at one side, and balls lodged in the bearings of said cylindrical dogs. in said fitting, and engaging said furrows for preventing the dogs from turning in their said bearings, and for easing their centrifugal action.

' 14. In a starting device, in combination nected shaft, said driving connections com-- prising a fitting carried by the engine-connected shaft into which fitting the starteractuated shaft extends; dogs seated in said fitting for engaging the starter-actuated shaft by movement toward the axis of rotation of said shaft, said dogs'being cylindrical-and having each a longitudinal furrow at one side; balls housed in the fitting engaging the furrows of the dogs respectively, the fitting being laterally apertured for entry of said balls and radially apertured for entry 6f the dogs; springs reacting upon the dogs for yieldirigly thrusting them inward and a cap for each dogadapted to be'forced radlally onto the fitting for closing both the which the ,balls enter, tsiprings toicause hei" 15: In combinaion r"reaction upon the h the engine shaft as i rotatably ,sup-

er comprising radial apertures through which the dogs i enter and the lateral apertures through and for stopping g ported in the casing, and a coupling shaft loosely connected at one end with the engine shaft and at the other end with the starter main shaft both for support and rotation, and intermediately free from support. I

18. In combination'with the engine shaft and the vehicle frame, a starter comprising a casing rigidly mounted on the vehicle frame; a starter main shaft rotatably supported in the casing and a coupling shaft loosely-connected at one end with the engine shaft and at the other end with the starter main shaft, said loose end connections of said coupling shaft constituting the sole means of alining said shaft.

' 17. In an engine starter, a casing adapted to be rigidly mounted on a vehicle frame; an engine-connected starting shaft supported in the casing; a spring motor mechanism in the casing for rotating said shaft; auxiliary mechanisms for winding up the spring; a disengageable clutch connection between said auxiliary winding mechanism and the engine-connected shaft; a floating coupling shaft member loosely engaged for rotation at one end with the engine shaft and at the other end with the engine-connected shaft member, and a spring operating on said coupling shaft member for thrusting it and the engine-connected shaft in the direction for engagement of said disengageable clutch member,

18. In an engine starter, a casing adapted to be rigidly mounted on a vehicle frame; a-

an engine-connected member having one-way driving clutch connections-with each other; a main power spring operatively connected with the prime moving shaft member; a gear train for winding up the spring having its propelling member jour'naled in the casing; the prime moving shaft member being ournaled in said propelling member, and the engine-connected shaft member being extended and journaled Within the prime-moving shaft member.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my'hand, in the presence of two witnesses, at Chicago, county of Cook, State of Illinois, this 9th day of December, 1915.

JOHN K. STEWART. 

